Italy's Foreign Minister supports Ukraine's accession to the EU, but prioritizes the Balkans
Italy supports Ukraine's membership in the European Union, but the priority is the integration of the Balkan states. This was stated in an interview with Corriere della Sera said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Antonio Tayani.
The head of Italian diplomacy was asked about his attitude to Ukraine's accelerated accession to the EU. He replied, "We support Ukraine's accession, but the Balkans come first. We have obligations to them, and they are our priority."
Tayani added that on March 3, a meeting of the Friends of the Balkans format will be held in Rome. And on April 1, he and German Foreign Minister Johannes Wadefuhl will visit Belgrade to demonstrate support for Serbia.
"We will help Ukraine, which needs to make progress," the Italian Foreign Minister summarized.
Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo are officially applying to join the European Union from the Balkan Peninsula. The 2003 European Council summit in Thessaloniki identified the integration of the Western Balkans as a priority for EU enlargement. This commitment was made in order to stabilize the region after the Yugoslav wars.
Albania, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Montenegro are candidate countries that are in negotiations. Bosnia and Herzegovina applied for accession and was granted candidate status on December 15, 2022, while Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008, is not recognized by all EU countries.
- In December 2025, Zelenskyy spoke of the possibility of Ukraine's accelerated accession to the EU but emphasized that some members of the bloc block this for political reasons, not because of the implementation of any reform in Ukraine.
- On January 25, 2026, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will be fully prepared before joining the EU in 2027, so it is important to specify the date of accession in the agreement to end the war to obtain clear security guarantees.
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